Flexible and printed electronics (PE) manufacturers are making further gains in terms of commercialization, and more products are reaching the market. In 2015, a host of new products are moving forward, and will impact further development.
 
Here is Printed Electronics Now’s Most Intriguing Printed Electronics Products of 2015 list, a look at five technologies that have either reached commercialization or are near.
 
In alphabetical order:
 
• ARMOR SAS – Orion
There is seemingly no shortage of portable solar products, but ARMOR SAS’s Orion system is unique. The recipient of the Best Product Development Award  from IDTechEx during Printed Electronics USA 2015, Orion is an OPV module that is fully integrated within the core of a lamp. It can be unrolled easily for charging the battery and rolled up manually within the lamp. Part of the Beautiful Light Project, the Orion prototype can deliver up to 8W peak power.
 
• Blue Spark Technologies –TempTraq
Debuting at CES 2015, Blue Spark Technologies’ TempTraq is a wearable wireless Bluetooth thermometer in the form of a soft patch. Powered by a printed battery, it’s the first thermometer to continuously monitor body temperature for 24 hours, and can send alerts to mobile devices through the free TempTraq app. TempTraq also allows users to send recorded information via email to doctors or family members.
There are plenty of opportunities for TempTraq; potentially, TempTraq can be used in hospitals and medical facilities as well.
It has been named a CES 2016 Innovation Awards Honoree in two categories: Fitness, Sports and Biotech; and Wearable Technologies.
 
• Diageo – Smart Bottle
Thin Film Electronics has moved ahead with its flexible,thin OpenSense NFC-enabled labels, with Diageo a particularly interesting end-use case. Diageo’s brands include whiskeys (Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal and J&B, among others); vodkas (Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One); Captain Morgan rum, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray gin and Guinness.
By applying OpenSense labels on Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Diageo can generate new opportunities to connect with customers, whether it is offering specific deals gathering data providing targeted marketing or drink recipes. It also allows the brand owner to track the bottles though the supply chain. Diageo recently placed a five-digit pilot order with Thinfilm for the OpenSense labels.
 
• OSRAM – Tail Lights
OLED lighting is beginning to make gains in the automotive market, with BMW and Audi already showing design concepts. OSRAM showcased its demonstrator tail lights, during LOPEC 2015, with CEO Marc Lünnemann predicting that the first OLED application will be on tail lights, followed by interior lighting, stop light indicators and accent lighting. OSRAM showed its OLED designs at a variety of shows during 2015, including CES 2015, and expects to reach the market in 2016.
 
• Rest Devices – Mimo Smart Baby Monitor
The recipient of numerous awards, including the 2016 BabyTech Award, Mimo Smart Baby Monitor’s sensor technology allows parents to monitor their sleeping baby’s temperature, breathing, body position and activity level. MIMO Baby sends alerts and nightly reports, and connects to smartphones.
Engineered Materials Systems, Division of Nagase & Company, developed stretchable conductive ink for Mimo, which received the Best Commercialization Award from IDTechEx during Printed Electronics USA 2015.